10 killed in Southern Kaduna, Buhari alleges killings politicised

Gunmen on Saturday attacked Nandu-Gbok village in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing 10 persons.

Sanga is a border town with Nasarawa and Plateau states, where the Deputy Governor-elect, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, hails from.

More than 30 houses were razed in the latest attack which was confirmed by the member representing the area in the national assembly as well as the PDP deputy governorship candidate in the just concluded election, Marshal Katung.

A statement signed by Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Samuel Aruwan, also confirmed the attack and pleaded for peace.

The attack is coming on the heels of several attacks on the people of Kajuru Local Government Area of the state.

It was learnt that the attack on Nandu-Gbok was launched by yet-to-be identified gunmen at about 4:00am on Saturday.

A source told one of our correspondents that the bandits invaded the village at dawn on Saturday, shooting indiscriminately at anything on sight.

“The heavy gunshots led to confusion as residents ran helter-skelter into the bush for safety.

“They set houses ablaze. Ten people were killed, some people were burnt to death, many others were injured, some people are still missing,” the source said.

A member representing Sanga/Jemaa Federal Constituency, Mr Shehu Garba, while condemning the attack, called for urgent attention from authorities to protect the people.

He said, “We woke up this morning to the sad news of an attack by gunmen on Nandu Gbok, a community in Sanga LGA of Kaduna State. About 10 bodies have been recovered and about 30 houses confirmed burnt down.”

On his part, the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in the just-concluded elections, Marshal Katung, said, “These attacks are becoming too many. I am greatly disturbed by the scale and magnitude of destruction of lives and property with very little action by the government.

“When Kajuru was attacked three weeks ago, we expressed sadness at the comments of our state government, warning that it could trigger a circle of violence.”

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the killings and attacks in Kaduna State, advising the perpetrators to stop.

The President, who said he was deeply troubled by the killings, noted that violence could only leave sadness on its trail for the attackers on both sides of the divide.

“I am deeply troubled by the fact that the sanctity of life is now being treated with such reckless disregard that people derive joy in shedding the blood of others or perceived enemies,” Buhari was quoted as saying in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu.

The President said, “No responsible leader would go to bed happy to see his citizens savagely killing one another on account of ethnic and religious bigotry.”

He called for patience and dialogue on both sides, saying, “Violence cannot be the solution to these persistent conflicts as long as people resort to deliberate provocation, revenge and counter-revenge.”

Buhari further stated that the government was in search of a solution but added “lack of cooperation by those involved might frustrate government’s efforts towards finding a lasting solution, especially if those efforts are politicised.”

He also expressed his regrets, saying, “Everything is politicised in Nigeria, including the efforts to bring offenders to justice, because their people will rise up in arms to resist their arrests and prosecution.”

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